Skip to Content Accessibility Information

PREVIEW ONLY: Security Clearance Talent Pipeline Application Questions - Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning

The Security Clearance Talent Pipeline program will deploy resources to industry-driven workforce models that expand and strengthen Maryland's pipeline of talent for positions requiring TS/SCI and TS/SCI with polygraph clearances. Administered by MD Labor's Cyber Maryland Program, the grant will fund projects aimed at reducing candidate attrition during lengthy federal security clearance processing through paid bridge employment, clearance navigation, technical training, and participant stipends. Successful applicants will propose innovative, scalable plans aligned with demonstrated employer demand across Maryland's cybersecurity, AI, technology, intelligence, and defense sectors.

Completed applications, along with required documentation, should be submitted via Google Forms by 11:59 pm EST on Friday, January 8, 2027. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Before Applying

Applicants should carefully review the Security Clearance Talent Pipeline Solicitation before submitting the application in Google Forms. The solicitation outlines required program components and key terminology for this project.

Attendance at the Pre-Proposal Conference on Friday, October 30, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. is strongly encouraged. To register, see our meeting registration form.

In order to receive the application materials, including the Google Forms link, applicants must submit a Notice of Intent to Apply by Wednesday, January 6, 2027 by 1:00 p.m EST


Required Documentation

The following documents are required as a part of the application. At the end of the online application, you will be asked to upload the documents listed below.

  • Completed budget template
  • Letters of Commitment from each consortium member, uploaded in one PDF. (Note: If the lead applicant is a single employer applying without partners, a Letter of Commitment is not required.)
  • Completed and signed W-9 form for the lead applicant and each partner organization receiving funds (subrecipient)
  • A Certificate of Good Standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation for the lead applicant and each partner organization receiving funds (subrecipient)
  • If tax-exempt pursuant to I.R.C. 501(c), a copy of official notice of tax-exempt status from the IRS

For questions about the application process, please email [email protected] until Monday, November 9, 2026.

SECTION 1: APPLICANT INFORMATION

For questions 1 - 8, provide the requested information about the lead applicant organization.

  1. Lead Applicant Organization’s Name
  2. Organization Street Address
  3. Primary Contact First and Last Name
  4. Primary Contact Position Title
  5. Primary Contact Email
  6. Primary Contact Phone
  7. Organization Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN or EIN)
  8. Organization Type. Select all that apply.
    • Employer
    • Training Providers
    • Local Workforce Development Board
    • Industry Association
    • Non-profit/Community Based Organizations;
    • Local or Regional Economic Development Entity
    • Institutions of Higher Education
    • Other:
  9. Indicate the total amount of funds requested. This amount should match the total award request included on the budget template. Applicants may request up to $250,000. For more information on allowable costs, review the Security Clearance Talent Pipeline Solicitation Section 2.2, Item 4.
  10. List all employer partners that provided a letter of commitment in support of the project.
  11. If applicable, list any other partners that provided a letter of commitment in support of the project. This may include institutions of higher education, training providers, local workforce boards, industry associations, etc.
  12. What county or region in Maryland will your project serve?
  13. Provide the anticipated number of individuals who will benefit from project activities.

SECTION 2: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

  1. Provide a clear and concise summary of the proposed strategies for the project, detailing how it directly addresses employer needs and challenges in recruiting, supporting, retaining, and employing talent for positions requiring TS/SCI and TS/SCI with polygraph. Include the rationale for your overall project design and explain how it aligns with documented employer demand. (Maximum 500 words)

SECTION 3: DEMONSTRATED NEED

  1. List the occupations, industries, employers, and/or geographic areas your project will impact.
  2. Describe the challenges employers and candidates currently experience related to the security clearance process.
  3. Provide evidence demonstrating the scope of the problem. This may include both qualitative and quantitative information including employer hiring data, vacancy data, candidate attrition, clearance-related hiring challenges, or other relevant data.
  4. Identify the population the project will serve and explain why that population is appropriate for the proposed intervention.

SECTION 4: EMPLOYER AND INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT

  1. Identify the employers who will participate in the project and describe their role. Please indicate if any participating employers are small businesses or HUBZone-certified defense contractors.
  2. Explain how employers and industry partners have been involved in identifying and designing the strategies the project will deploy.
  3. List and describe the employment, training, mentoring, or other developmental opportunities employers will make available to candidates while they progress through the federal personnel security process. Employment may include placement in similar or adjacent roles to perform unclassified work or classified work at a level for which the candidate currently has the required eligibility and access.
  4. Describe the overall strategy to keep candidates economically supported, professionally engaged, and connected to employers while applicable federal investigation, adjudication, and access requirements are pending.
  5. Describe how participating employers will support the transition of qualified participants into clearance-dependent positions following successful completion of applicable federal personnel security and access requirements.

SECTION 5: CONSORTIUM INFORMATION

MD Labor will give preference to applicants that form a consortium to meet the goals of the proposed project. Applications demonstrating meaningful participation from multiple employers, particularly small businesses and HUBZone-certified defense contractors, will receive preference in the review process.

Single-employer applicants are permitted to apply but must provide a compelling rationale in Question 24 detailing their capacity to fulfill all required program roles without partner organizations in order to be competitive.

Note: A signed Letter of Commitment must be provided for every partner organization listed in the consortium.

  1. Describe the operational structure and governance model of the consortium if awarded funding. Detail how all members, including the lead applicant, participating employers, training providers, workforce boards, and other partner organizations,will coordinate, communicate, and share responsibilities to execute the project. As part of your response, explicitly identify which consortium partner(s) will fulfill each of the three mandatory capabilities outlined in Section 1.2.2 of the solicitation:
    • Federal Personnel Security Process Capability
    • Pre-Clearance Employment and Support Capability
    • Clearance-Dependent Employment Capability
    Note for Single-Employer Applicants: If applying as a single employer without partner organizations, use this field to provide a compelling rationale for operating independently. Detail how your organization will manage and fulfill all three mandatory capabilities internally without project partners.
  2. Describe how the applicant or consortium will maintain continuous feedback loops with employers, industry partners, or internal program leadership (for single-employer applicants) to provide feedback on:
    • Critical Skill & Workforce Needs: Evolving hiring demand, clearance-dependent technical requirements, and emerging workforce gaps;
    • Program Strategy Effectiveness: The success of the proposed interventions (e.g., bridge employment, clearance navigation, upskilling, or shared talent models) in keeping candidates engaged, technically ready, and progressing through the federal personnel security process; and
    • Partnership Value & Impact: The overall operational value, return on investment, and effectiveness of the project strategies and consortium partnership.
  3. Will any consortium partners or stakeholders be subrecipients of these grant funds?
    • Yes
    • No
  4. If yes, list the name of each partner, the amount of funding they will receive, and for what purpose. In the budget, please include specific line items for each subrecipient.

SECTION 6: TALENT RECRUITMENT AND READINESS

  1. Describe how participants will be identified, recruited, screened, assessed, and matched with participating employers. Describe how your recruitment strategy will expand the pool of qualified candidates for clearance-dependent employment and how candidates will be connected with employers or other authorized entities capable of initiating and supporting the applicable federal personnel security process.
    In your response, explicitly identify:
    • the positions and applicable security requirements targeted by the project, including TS/SCI and TS/SCI with polygraph, and the estimated percentage of candidates pursuing each; and
    • the targeted mission-critical occupations (e.g., cybersecurity, AI, technology, intelligence, or other defense-related fields).
  2. What support will be provided to participants while they progress through the federal personnel security process, including while applicable investigation, adjudication, and access requirements are pending?
  3. How will participants maintain or strengthen technical skills while progressing through the federal personnel security process? Will applied work or other developmental opportunities be made available? If yes, describe.
  4. How will the applicant maintain regular contact with participants over the period of performance?
  5. Describe your contingency plan for supporting participants whose federal personnel security process takes longer than anticipated.

SECTION 7: OUTCOMES AND METRICS

Provide your anticipated outcomes for each metric below over the grant performance period. If an outcome is not relevant to your project, please enter “N/A.”

  1. Number of individuals participating in approved project activities
  2. Number of Pipeline Candidates recruited, assessed, or matched to participating employers
  3. Number of Candidates in Process for whom the applicable federal personnel security process has been initiated
  4. Number of Candidates in Process receiving grant-funded wage or stipend support
  5. Percentage of Candidates in Process who remain employed or otherwise professionally engaged while applicable federal investigation, adjudication, and access requirements are pending
  6. Number of individuals who successfully complete applicable federal eligibility and access requirements for positions requiring TS/SCI or TS/SCI with polygraph
  7. Number of individuals who transition into clearance-dependent employment
  8. Grantees will be required to track participant outcomes during the project performance period. Describe how these outcomes will be tracked, including any databases or tools that will be utilized.

SECTION 8: BUDGET

The applicant must submit a detailed line item budget using the forms provided for the period of performance. The budget template, provided in the application materials email, includes a budget narrative and information on leveraged resources the applicant will offer in support of the project. The budget must reflect the cost per participant. You will be asked to complete the budget template and upload in SECTION 10: REQUIRED DOCUMENTS UPLOAD

Note: Any requested candidate wage or stipend support must not exceed $10,000 per participant and must reflect the required host employer matching contribution. Grant-funded wage or stipend support associated with the clearance waiting period may only be provided to candidates for whom the applicable federal personnel security process has been initiated.

  1. Describe how the funding will be used.
  2. Will the applicant or participating employers provide leveraged resources or co-investments to support project implementation?
    • Yes
    • No
  3. If yes, please list the total value of cash or in-kind contributions committed by partners or the applicant. Include any required employer wage match for stipend support and identify which partner is contributing.

SECTION 9: ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND TIMELINE

  1. List the staffing and administrative structure that will support the project. Describe each role and the percentage of time they will spend dedicated to the functions in detail in support of the grant.
  2. If there are other organizations beyond the applicant that will support the implementation of the program, please list and describe their role and how it will contribute to the success of the project.
  3. Describe any existing infrastructure, partnerships, or resources that will support the successful launch and implementation of the project.
  4. Describe past performance on a project of similar scope. If not applicable, please share relevant experience that makes your organization an ideal candidate for an award.
  5. Describe your project plans for spending funds between March 1, 2027 - February 28, 2029. Provide estimated program activities and expenditures for each quarter over the 24-month period of performance. Applicants are strongly encouraged to develop a plan that has the program operational by June 30, 2027.
  6. Describe your strategy for sustaining the consortium, employer engagement, and workforce model beyond the grant funding period.

SECTION 10: REQUIRED DOCUMENTS UPLOAD

The following documents are required and must be uploaded below to complete your application:

  • Completed Budget template
  • Completed and signed W-9 form for the lead applicant and each partner organization receiving funds (subrecipient)
  • A Certificate of Good Standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation for the lead applicant and each partner organization receiving funds (subrecipient). A screenshot is acceptable.
  • If tax-exempt pursuant to I.R.C. 501(c), a copy of official notice of tax-exempt status from the IRS
  • Letters of Commitment from each consortium member, uploaded in one PDF. (Note: If the lead applicant is a single employer applying without partners, a Letter of Commitment is not required.)
  1. Please select all uploaded documents to verify that all required documents applicable to your application have been uploaded with this submission:
    • Completed Budget template
    • Completed and signed W-9 form for the lead applicant and each subrecipient
    • A Certificate of Good Standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation for the lead applicant and each subrecipient
    • If tax-exempt pursuant to I.R.C. 501(c), a copy of official notice of tax-exempt status from the IRS Letters of Commitment from each consortium member, uploaded in one PDF.

SECTION 11: ASSURANCES

The applicant hereby affirms and certifies that it will comply with all applicable regulations, policies, guidelines, and requirements of the MD Labor and the State of Maryland as they relate to the application, acceptance, and use of funding for the Program. The applicant further affirms and certifies that:

  • It possesses legal authority to apply for the grant, i.e., an official act of the applicant’s governing body has been duly adopted or passed, authorizing filing of the application, including all understandings and assurances contained therein and directing and authorizing the person identified as the official representative of the applicant and to provide such additional information as may be required.
  • It will comply with applicable federal, State, and local laws regarding discrimination and equal opportunity in employment, and credit practices.
  • It will expend funds to supplement new and/or existing funds and not use these funds to supplant non-grant funds.
  • It will participate in any statewide assessment program or other evaluation program as required by MD Labor.
  • It will give MD Labor, or an authorized representative, the right of access to, and the right to examine all records, books, papers, or documents related to the grant.
  • It will assure that quarterly status reports will be submitted to MD Labor, as required.
  • It will comply with all requirements imposed by MD Labor concerning special requirements of law and other administrative requirements.
  • It will avoid any activity, employment, or business arrangement that would create an actual or apparent conflict of interest in the performance of its duties under any grant awarded. It will promptly notify MD Labor of any actual or potential conflict of interest that arises during the term of any grant awarded. Upon such disclosure, MD Labor will determine whether the conflict requires mitigation, modification, or termination of any grant awarded.

The Fiscal Agent acts on behalf of the applicant by performing all financial management duties of the grant and accepting responsibility for the proper use of grant funds. The Fiscal Agent is responsible for maintaining separate records of disbursements made on the Applicant’s behalf and disbursing those funds in accordance with the restrictions related to the grant. The Fiscal Agent takes full responsibility for managing and documenting grant expenditures, as well as submitting financial reports for the grant.

The Fiscal Agent is responsible for receiving and safeguarding grant funds. Furthermore, the Fiscal Agent is legally obligated to:

  • Maintain separate records of disbursements related to the grant;
  • Keep receipts for at least five years following closing of the grant;
  • Make financial records available to the State of Maryland and its representatives upon request;
  • Disburse funds in accordance with the purpose of the grant application; and
  • File the final financial report at the conclusion of the grant.
  1. By checking this box, I certify that I have read and reviewed all required application materials and supporting documents on the Security Clearance Talent Pipeline Solicitation page, including the Request for Proposals and FAQ. I certify that the information provided in this application is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.
    • I certify and agree